iPod Deals

News, Reviews, & Opinion

One-Third of Parents Willing to Buy an iPad for
Their Kids

PR: A new research report published by iYogi Insights takes a
closer look at how American parents view the iPad for their children.
This is at a time when Apple is touting the device as the latest
learning tool set to revolutionize education with its new iBooks
textbook application.

Despite the high price tag and debate surrounding this device, the
latest research conducted by iYogi based on a survey of more than 2000
of its customers found that 33% parents are willing to buy or have
already bought their children iPads. The study also shows that parents
are willing to let kids spend an average of $14 a month and at least
two hours every day on the device.

Apple's strategy of entering the home via school and through making
learning fun is likely to pay dividends, as 92% of the parents willing
to buys kids an iPad approve of its use for homework tool and 88% of
them say their kids are doing well at school. Interestingly, 57% of
these parents with two or more children said they would be happy to use
the iPad to keep their kids out of their hair.

However, there is still a reluctant majority of 67% parents who are
not willing to buy an iPad for their children. Of these, 67.2% would
rather buy them a traditional notebook or desktop computer, and 26.5%
are ready to buy a Kindle. A significant 34% of the unconvinced are
concerned that owning an iPad will keep their children from making more
friends, and 50% believe that their kids are better off playing
outdoors.

"iPad, touted as the hottest gadget of the times, continues to be a
favorite topic of debate and discussion especially on its usefulness to
children in particular and whether it is an expensive toy or possibly a
nifty device which can make learning fun and interactive," says Vishal
Dhar, President Marketing and Cofounder, iYogi. "With Apple marketing
the use of iPads for kids and education we decided to ask our large
subscriber base on what they thought. The encouraging results show a
significant one third of the parent population give a thumbs up. With
the rumored launch of iPad 3, 2012 will continue to be the year of the
iPad."

Why You Shouldn't Buy Your Child an iPad

CIO Tom Kaneshige doesn't think children should have iPads,
contending that "iPad isolation" can lead to poor social skills at a
time when kids are just learning how to interact with each other. He
says that while the iPad is supposed to be a creative device, it
instead blunts their imagination with rigid apps that define reality
and choices, as opposed to a child's boundless thinking.

He notes that a recent iYogi Insights survey (above) indicates that
one out of three parents is willing to buy or has already bought their
children iPads, but the good news is that the survey also shows that a
majority of parents won't buy their children iPads, reasoning that 34%
of respondents think the iPad will keep their children from making more
friends, while 50% believe their kids are better off playing
outdoors.

Internet Ruining or Improving Today's Youth?

The LA Times' Deborah Netburn notes that teenagers today are growing
up in an environment of hyper-inter-connectivity, and that according to
recent data collected by the Pew Internet Project in conjunction with
Elon University's Imagining the Internet project, 95% of teens 12 to 17
are online, 76% use social networking sites, and 77% have
cellphones.

However, the operative question is whether the tweeting, Google
searching, texting, Facebook chatting lifestyle of the "Always On" (AO)
generation is creating a savvy group of information gatherers who
skillfully harness the power of collective thinking, or if a crippling
reliance on the Internet will create a generation of shallow and easily
manipulated drones with no attention span.

Current iPad 2 Trade-In Values

PR: NextWorth's Ashley Halberstadt says people are already
mentally lining up for the as-yet unannounced iPad 3. For those looking
to make an upgrade from the iPad 2,
NextWorth, a consumer electronics upgrade and trade-in specialist, has
announced used iPad 2 trade-in values and a 21-day price lock to
help subsidize the cost of an upgrade.

Currently, trade-in values on NextWorth.com for an iPad 2 in "good"
condition (which is not brand new out of the box) are as follows:

iPad 2 16 GB WiFi - $260.45

iPad 2 32 GB WiFi - $294.54

iPad 2 64 GB WiFi - $328.63

iPad 2 16 GB WiFi + AT&T 3G - $308.18

iPad 2 32 GB WiFi + AT&T 3G - $335.45

iPad 2 64 GB WiFi + AT&T 3G - $396.81

NextWorth projects that with the Apple March 7 event now scheduled,
values of the iPad 2 will start a steady decline down to about 20-25%
of the original value.

NextWorth is also partnered with
Target to offer an in-store trade-in option at more than 1,450
Target stores nationwide. For their trade, consumers either receive
credit toward a purchase or a prepaid Target card for the value of the
trade-in that can be used for any item sold at Target. At
NextWorth.com, customers have the choice of cash or a gift card when
they trade in. NextWorth offers free, fully-insured UPS shipping
service to all online customers.

InMobi: iOS Regains Market Lead from Android with
35% Impressions Share in North America

PR: InMobi, an independent mobile ad network, has released
its Mobile Insights Report: North American Edition, January 2012. This
comprehensive report is based on data from InMobi's network, which
serves over 93.4 billion monthly mobile advertising impressions across
the globe.

The report highlights the continued growth of mobile advertising in
North America, as the InMobi network grew by 82% or 25.2 billion
monthly impressions in just 90 days. The January 2012 report unveils
that iOS has passed Android by 2.6% share and regained the number one
market position, after running in second place for most of last year.
The top three handsets in January 2012 are Apple devices, and Apple's
share of impressions increased to 35%.

Commenting on the study, Anne Frisbie, Vice President and Managing
Director, North America, InMobi, says: "The iOS growth we are seeing
may be attributed to the tremendous success of iPhone 4S and iPad in
the ecosystem. Over all, we are excited to see InMobi's available
impressions exceed 55 billion in North America, and look forward to
continuing our rapid growth through 2012.

You can download the latest InMobi Mobile Insights Reports under the
Network Data section of the InMobi Research page.

PR: With anticipation of Apple's iPad 3 launch in the near
future, the 2012 tablet PC market share battle is just about to
commence. According to research conducted by the WitsView and
DRAMeXchange, the panel and NAND flash division of Taiwan-based market
research firm TrendForce, the total sales of tablet PCs in 2012 will
likely amount to 94 million units, a 53.1% increase compared to 62
million units in 2011. Apple will continue maintaining its dominant
position like it did over the past two years; iPad will take up 60%
market share, a total of 59 million units.

Apple's high tablet market share can be attributed to its tablet
competitors failing to catch up with iPad's advancements. Although
various Android phones carve up a certain amount of market share,
iPad's domination remains unshaken. iPad 3 will further secure its
leading status with its solid hardware-software integration and high
resolution display, which will give iPad a leg up on other tablets in
the market in terms of 2012 sales. The only concern is that iPad 3's
high resolution panel comes with a low yield rate; whether or not the
panel production will be enough to supply the market demand remains to
be seen.

Amazon fueled
Kindle Fire's sales in 4Q11 by lowering its price along with the
help of its online bookstore. At first, the strategy panned out well
and generated quite a buzz. However, Kindle Fire, designed as an
electronic book reader, still does not quite match consumers
expectations for a tablet PC. In addition, according to the component
makers, Amazon's orders for panels in 1H12 decreased, which suggests
for the time being that Kindle Fire is still unable to threaten iPad's
leading position.

At present, Android is unlikely to intimidate iPad, and for this
reason, certain table PC manufacturers have begun to slow down
development of Android tablets and shift their focus to the
Windows 8 tablets, set to release at the end of 2012. The makers
are counting on Windows users high commitment to Microsoft Office to
spur the sales of Windows 8 tablets. But several issues persist,
such as whether or not the ARM Windows 8 tablet is able to release
as scheduled, the weight and battery life, and whether the software
compatibility and interface design cater to the users' preferences.

As for the talks about smaller iPads, these mini versions are still
in the testing stage; whether or not these prototypes will enter mass
production remains unknown. If production ensues, the release time will
possibly be in 4Q12, right before Christmas. With a smaller size and a
resolution of 1024 x 768, as opposed to iPad 3's 2048 x 1536, the small
iPad will not hurt iPad 3s sales in 2012 and will have a bigger impact
in 2013. In other words, iPad will still hold the No. 1 spot in the
tablet PC market with a market share of 60%, dominating over half of
the total tablet market share well into 2013.

Rumor Roundup

16 GB and 32 GB iPad 3, 8 GB iPad 2 Expected on
March 7

DigiTimes' Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai report that sources from its
upstream supply chain are saying that Apple is is expected to launch
two iPad 3 models - a 16 GB version and 32 GB version - at its
announced event on March 7, and also to unveil an 8 GB iPad 2, the
better to cover different price segments of the tablet PC spectrum -
and to defend against Windows 8-based tablet PCs coming later in the
year.

Lee and Tsai say that Apple is optimistic about scoring another
sales hit with the new iPad 3 and has been aggressively placing orders
with its OEM suppliers, iPad 3 shipments in the first quarter of 2012
now projected to double from original estimates.

The iPad 3 is expected to have a 9.7" Full HD QXGA panel with a
resolution of 2048 x 1536 (264 dpi) and its backlight module will adopt
two LED light bars.

Apple to Begin Production of 7.85" iPad in Q3

DigiTimes' Max Wang and Steve Shen report that OEM subcontractors in
Apple's iPad upstream supply chain have begun delivering samples of
7.85" iPads for verification, with volume production likely to begin in
the third quarter of 2012 earliest, according to industry sources.

Wang and Lee project the 7.85" iPad's price to come in somewhere in
the $249 to $299 range, since Apple is also expected to release an
8 GB iPad 2 next week, expected to sell for $349-$399, and lower
the price of the 16 GB iPad 2 to $449, their sources indicate.

Dock the handset in the 10.1" Padfone Station and you have a tablet
computer with a 1280 x 800 resolution touchscreen display. Plug in the
optional keyboard dock and you've got a netbook - albeit one running
Android and not Windows 7.

ASUS pitches the Padfone as a
device specifically created to fulfill demands for both smartphone and
tablet users, and that allows users to switch seamlessly between pad
and phone as best-fits their activities at any time. Internet access
from the 3G network connection is shared between the phone and pad,
with data storage streamlined through a single storage pool.

Enlarge your
screen size any time you need to

Seamless transition of applications between pad and phone

Eliminate data transfer hassle with a single storage pool

One SIM card for two devices

Use the pad as an extended battery to charge your phone

Have a video conferencing experience and easily share with family
and friends

Apps & Services

Adobe Brings the Power of Photoshop to iPad with
Photoshop Touch

PR: At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, this
week Adobe Systems Incorporated rolled out Adobe Photoshop Touch for
iPad 2, now available via the iTunes App Store. Adobe Photoshop Touch
offers core Photoshop features, as well as new capabilities for
creating and sharing images in an app custom-built for tablets. This
new app is a central component of Adobe Touch Apps, a family of six
intuitive touch screen applications, inspired by Adobe Creative Suite
software. iPad versions of the other Adobe Touch Apps are expected
later this year.

Photoshop Touch gives users the ability to combine multiple
photos into layered images, make essential edits and apply professional
effects to create beautiful artwork, touch up photos, paint, lay out
ideas and a great deal more. The Scribble Selection Tool allows users
to easily extract objects in an image by simply scribbling on what to
keep, and then what to remove. With Refine Edge technology from
Photoshop, even hard-to-select areas with soft edges are easily
captured when making selections. Photoshop Touch helps users quickly
find images and share creations through integration with Facebook and
Google Image Search.

"People will be amazed with what they can create on the iPad
using Photoshop Touch," says David Wadhwani, Adobe Digital Media
Business Unit's senior vice president and general manager.

"Photoshop Touch combines the magic of Photoshop and its core
features with the convenience of a tablet, bringing image-editing power
to the fingertips of millions of people."

In addition to Photoshop Touch, Adobe expects to release the
following touch apps for the iPad in the coming months: Adobe Collage
for moodboards; Adobe Debut for presenting and reviewing creative work;
Adobe Ideas for sketching; Adobe Kuler for exploring color themes; and
Adobe Proto for website and mobile app prototyping.

Highlights

Work with core Photoshop tools designed for tablets.

Use your tablet camera to fill area on a layer.

Select part of image to extract by scribbling.

Perform Google searches and share images on Facebook right in the
app.

Sync files to Adobe Creative Cloud and open in Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop Touch is available now in the iTunes App Store for
$9.99, and also available in most geographies with English language
support. The app requires an iPad 2 running on iOS 5. For
more information on Photoshop Touch, visit http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-touch.html

PR: iPad text app specialist Infovole announced its biggest
update campaign so far. Only five weeks after the the developer's last
big update, Infovole comes up with new features. Within the next weeks,
all Infovole text apps for iPad are getting a big update.

The marathon starts with the premium app Schreibkraft. Updated
versions of Textkraft and 1a Easy Writer will be available shortly.

The update comes with two new features for even more effective
working with text:

The new Spell-Aid-button recognizes unknown and wrong words. That
way the user can focus on the phrasing and then revise text
conveniently.

The Jump-Back-button, which only shows up if the cursor is not
visible in the current window, brings the user back to his or her
latest cursor position immediately.

In addition Infovole's media relations spokesperson Kathrin
Sauerwien tells us that there are many detail enhancements and
optimizations for already existing features, as well as a better
performance in "extreme situations."

All Infovole Apps come with a wide basic range of unique
features:

Convenient text-selection tools.

Rapid memories for working on different documents at the same
time.

Special keys for diacritical marks, accents and special chars.

The Spell-Aid-button finds unknown and wrong words with a
keystroke.

10 cursor keys and a Jump-back-button for quick navigation through
the text.

App Profiles

Textkraft for iPad - The Language Specialist For Professionals -
Besides various editing functions Textkraft offers you detailed text
information for professional writing and an extensive
offline-dictionary with synonyms and possible follow-ups. Textkraft is
available with various language-specific dictionaries.

Schreibkraft for iPad - The First Multilingual Text Processor -
Schreibkraft speaks 10 languages in 14 country-specific flavors. There
is no need to switch regions or keyboards. The App supports the user in
all needed tongues at the same time. The magic
éüç-button sets all diacritical marks, accents, and
umlauts. Paired with many of the professional Textkraft's editing
features, Schreibkraft is an ideal text editor for global
citizens.

1a Easy Writer for iPad - The Power of Simplicity - Write texts
conveniently, at a great price (99¢). Overview of your text, many
important editing features and language-independent: This App is made
for purists and the value-conscious.

Intuit Introduces Consumer Banking App for
iPad

PR: Intuit Financial Services has introduced Intuit Tablet
Banking for the iPad, making it easier for people to manage their
finances from mobile devices. The new app from Intuit Inc. gives banks
and credit unions a new way to meet their customers' growing demand for
a wide array of technology solutions.

We understand the wide technology needs of consumers who want
financial information at their fingertips, whether at home, on-the-go,
or at work. By expanding our offerings, were helping banks and credit
unions better serve some of their most active customers.

The application from Intuits banking services division uses the
iPads built-in features to help bank customers and credit union
members:

View account balances and account transaction history.

Transfer funds between eligible accounts.

Pay bills on the spot.

Locate nearby ATMs and branches.

Access their financial institutions mobile website.

"As tablets gain popularity, we needed to include the iPad
application with our mobile banking offering," says Celeste Kier, vice
president and marketing director with ESL Federal Credit Union in
Rochester, NY. "We were immediately impressed with how the iPad app
takes advantage of a larger screen size rather than functioning as a
copy of the iPhone app. Customers immediately accepted it when we
offered it in December and we continue to receive positive feedback
from our members."

Banking Goes Mobile

The use of tablets has grown exponentially; manufacturers expect to
sell more than 124 million units worldwide by the end of 2012.

Mobile banking trends reflect that growth. A recent Intuit study of
50,000 mobile banking customers found that people using a combination
of online and mobile solutions are 45% more likely to interact with
their financial institution than those who only go online. To give them
peace of mind, the Intuit Tablet Banking App has complete end-to-end
security, so consumers can safely access their finances anywhere, at
any time.

"Consumers are more mobile than ever and that's changing how they
access their banking information on a day-to-day basis via a multitude
of devices," says CeCe Morken, senior vice president and general
manager of Intuit Financial Services. "We understand the wide
technology needs of consumers who want financial information at their
fingertips, whether at home, on-the-go, or at work. By expanding our
offerings, were helping banks and credit unions better serve some of
their most active customers."

Intuit Recognized and Cited for Innovation

Intuit's customer-centric approach to developing for mobile devices,
such as tablets, was highlighted in a recent Forrester Research report.
The new Tablet Banking App for the iPad adds to the robust set of
mobile banking tools Intuit offers to banks and credit unions.

Currently, customers and members of more than 450 US banks and
credit unions offer Intuit's mobile Web, text message, and downloadable
application solutions to conduct their critical banking tasks via
iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and iPad devices. Intuits Tablet Banking
App for iPad is available through the iTunes store under the brand name
of each bank and credit union that offers it.

Navy Psalm Daily Quotes: Faith Quotes, Photos
Honor Navy

PR: System of Merritt, Inc. introduces Navy Psalm Daily
Quotes ESV for iOS, their Reference app featuring selected passages
from the Bible's Book of Psalms, together with images from the US Navy
archives. Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV features inspirational and
thoughtful quotes from the Psalms, matched with heartwarming and moving
photographs of Navy service members performing their duties at home and
abroad. Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV contains more than 365 unique
quotes with photos, and will appeal to soldiers and civilians
alike.

With
its beautiful images from the US Navy archives and inspirational
quotes, users will find solace, comfort, and inspiration. Each image
also features an explanation of the activity shown, ships involved,
service member, photographer, and the location around the globe. From
the flight deck to the control room for a ship's engines and rudder, to
the Arctic, to Haiti, Afghanistan, Indonesia, the beach, operating
room, and cockpit, photos show our military in action. Photographs
depict boot camp, Navy SEAL training, aircraft carriers, subs,
humanitarian missions, Navy aircraft and helicopters, as well as
worldwide operations.

Honoring our military with the beauty and inspiration of the 150
songs and prayers of Psalms, Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV intertwines
the inspirational word of the Holy Bible with the important and heroic
work of the US Navy, one of the world's largest and most effective
humanitarian and relief organizations. Along with performing its
primary mission of national defense, the Navy provides relief for
victims of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
Its aircraft carriers and other ships can be on-station within days,
anywhere in the world, providing medical care, food and water. The
Navy's two hospital ships, the Mercy and the Comfort are designed to
provide large scale and prolonged medical services. The importance of
the Navy's service is highlighted and intertwined with God's Word.

Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV provides a window on to the dedication,
sacrifice and determination of the legendary Navy Seals. Awe inspiring
photos show members of this elite force in the most extreme conditions
in the air, on the beach, under water, and in the freezing water and
snow of Alaska. Images of compassion, courage, faith, dramatic action
and solemn ceremony will inspire pride. Matched thoughtfully with
passages from the Psalms, users will be blessed and inspired each day
and thankful for the freedoms won and preserved by our military men and
women.

Each launch of the application features the quote and
photograph of the day. This app has a number of touch screen functions
that allow the user to easily browse the quote collection. Touching the
top of the screen will produce a randomly selected quote with
complementing photo. Touching the center-left area of the screen will
send the user to the photo and quote from the previous day. Users can
go backwards as many times as they wish to view quotes from previous
days. Touching the center-right area of the screen will move forward
one day, allowing users to go forward as many days as they would like
to view future daily quotes. The lower portion of the screen includes
the Psalm and the photo description and is scrollable for viewing
longer quotes.

An information button on the lower right side of the screen accesses
a number of features including: search capabilities and sharing via
Twitter, Facebook, and email. The Search feature allows users to search
for photos and Psalms via keywords. The sharing features allow users to
share the current image and Psalm on a user's Facebook page, via
Twitter, or through email to a friend.

Feature Highlights

Beautiful and dramatic images from the US Navy archives

Inspirational Bible passages from the Psalms, English Standard
Version (ESV) matched to images by word or concept

Share on Facebook, Twitter, and email

Easily search by keywords

"System of Merritt, Inc., creators of Psalm Daily Quotes in the King
James Version (KJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), American
Standard Version (ASV), English Standard Version (ESV), and New
International Version (NIV), is proud to present Navy Psalm Daily
Quotes ESV, an inspirational app that honors the dedicated work of our
US Navy members around the world," says Jonathan Hager. "Words of faith
and images of compassion, courage, dramatic action and solemn ceremony
will inspire and fill you with pride."

Device Requirements:

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Requires iOS 4.1 or later (iOS 5 tested)

30.9 MB

Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV 1.0 is 99¢ and available worldwide
through the App Store in the Reference category.

Catholics Now Have a Great Reason to Bring Their
Smartphones and Tablets to Church

PR: iMissal is a
Catholic reference application for mobile devices and Mac computers
(see this week's Mac News Review for details on
the Mac version), and has been one of the top selling Catholic
applications since its inception. iMissal is not merely a digital
Catholic missal, but multiple applications rolled into one.

Cantcha, Inc. has released two new platforms for the Catholic
iMissal mobile application just in time for Lent and Easter. Now Kindle
Fire and Windows Phone owners can enjoy the same application that has
been a Catholic top seller on Apple, Android, and Blackberry
devices.

"With the addition of Kindle Fire and Windows Phone we now reach all
of the most popular mobile devices," says Grant Stewart, Co-Founder of
Cantcha, Inc. "We will continue to add innovative features that will
add value for our customers."

The iMissal application is a suite of Catholic apps rolled into one.
Some of the key features include:

A complete Missal including the new Mass translation, with all
texts approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. It includes
all Mass Readings for every liturgical cycle, Order of Mass, and Daily
Mass audio and video.

My Daily Bread contains unique Bible verses for every day of the
year with beautiful artwork. It allows users to save favorites, use
keyword searches and share favorites by email and Facebook.

The Prayers section includes a large collection of the most popular
Catholic prayers that can be shared by email or Facebook with family
and Friends.

Whether you are a priest, deacon, lector, RCIA candidate or
lay-parishioner; iMissal has something for you, and is currently
available for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry, Windows
Phone, Mac and Kindle Fire.

Accessories

HoverBar Adjustable Support Arm for iPad 2

PR: HoverBar hangs the
iPad 2 beside your Mac, letting you use the tablet as a wingman. The
flexible HoverBar arm positions iPad in a place where you can keep tabs
on Twitter, stocks or partake in a FaceTime chat. As a bonus, you can
use HoverBar separately to float iPad 2 as a micro workstation, a handy
kitchen mount or as a tool that elevates iPad, creating new ways to
interact with apps.

With HoverBar connected iPad 2 to your Mac you can collaborate on a
project with FaceTime, monitor the weather and interact with your
favorite apps. HoverBar rescues iPad from the computer bag.

One strong arm. Or
two.

HoverBar floats iPad 2 next to any iMac or Apple display with an
L-shaped stand. The black, flexible arm on HoverBar connects to your
Mac using a secure, silicone-lined clamp that leaves no trace. HoverBar
has enough muscle and reach to position iPad above or beside any size
Mac. Flex the bar and tilt iPad in any direction to find your favorite
viewing position.

Floats Like a Butterfly in the Kitchen

HoverBar in the
kitchen connects to a cabinet quickly and easily with a simple clamp.
No drilling holes or putting screws into your expensive joinery. Pop
open your favorite recipe or cooking app, or stream a how-to video
while your iPad floats safely above the counter, away from splatters,
spills and floury concoctions.

Stand Alone Performer

Attach HoverBar to a
table to create a mini, minimalistic workstation in a dorm or other
small space. The sturdy, two-way clamp positions HoverBar upright so
you can stand before it and jam with DJ and music apps, or launch a
racing game and use HoverBar as a fixed steering wheel.

Elevates Your Mac to a Multi-computer

Use HoverBar to bring
apps to your Mac. With HoverBar floating iPad next to your Mac, you can
stream Pandora from their super cool iPad app, while you tackle an
iMovie project on 27-inch, widescreen iMac. While your Mac is running a
Keynote show, your iPad 2 can be powering your go-to smaller screen
apps.

Key facts:

Use iPad 2 clipped into HoverBar as a secondary, touchscreen
computer with Mac